Self-confessed foodie keeps it all together with exercise

Chill Out in KL
By JADE चन

MISS World Malaysia 2008 winner Soo Wincci confesses to being a foodie and often enjoys hunting for the best eateries she can find.

Whether it is a short drive within the Klang Valley or a trip to places like Ipoh, Malacca or Penang, the 23-year-old law graduate is keen to try new dishes with her friends.

“However, I’m calorie conscious. The secret to my food adventures is to share with friends and eat in moderation. I also balance things out by regularly going to the gym and getting body massages,” she explained.

Born and bred in Petaling Jaya, Soo enjoys singing, composing and playing the piano, sometimes playing her favourite contemporary and pop tunes to soothe her emotions.

Passion for food: Soo confesses that she will go out of her way in search of good food.

“I took up piano lessons at age five, vocal training when I was 16, and now I’m into composing and acting in plays.

“I initially wanted to study music but my parents insisted that I get proper degree, something I could fall back on later.

“I’m now busy preparing for the Miss World pageant which will be held in December in South Africa, and will fulfil all my obligations with the pageant first.

“After that, I plan to venture into the entertainment field, whether it’s singing, acting, modelling or hosting,” she said.

What do you like about KL?

KL is an awesome place for chilling out and to sightsee. It is a place filled with different cultures and people.

A must-see place is the Petronas Twin Towers, a landmark which is associated with Malaysia.

When a group of friends came from overseas, I took them to visit the National Zoo, Petronas Twin Towers and the Eye on Malaysia, and enjoy some mamak and hawker food.

There was a funny moment when they saw the Buka 24 Jam sign at the mamak and they thought it meant 24-hour traffic jams!

What do you dislike about KL?

KL, being the most happening place in Malaysia, tends to be over-crowded. I dislike the traffic in KL and find that it is too polluted at times.

I avoid going to shopping malls on weekends. Instead, I prefer going to small cafes to chill out or take a drive to look for good eating spots with friends.

What’s your favourite food?

Hawker food, including laksa, hokkien mee (the type with the dark gravy) and fried oysters. I also like Japanese food and Western food, particularly anything with cheese like carbonara pasta and pizza.

My favourite dish, however, is sweet and sour pork. I’m an adventurous foodie, so I don’t like to stick to one particular restaurant.

What do you do to relax?

I love to relax by surfing the Internet and usually log in to these sites - Facebook, Friendster, YouTube and Gmail, as well as food blogs.

I like to surf for recipes so I can cook, especially Chinese cuisine. I did a lot of my own cooking when I was studying in the UK because it was too expensive to eat out and there weren’t many Chinese restaurants there.

What’s your favourite place to hang out in KL?

It depends on the occasion। Luna Bar for the scenery of KL and atmosphere, Red Box for a fun karaoke session, and small cafes and nice restaurants to enjoy a good meal.

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